DWI Defense Edina Minnesota | What To Know About DWI In Minnesota
If you’ve been arrested for DWI in Minnesota, you probably have a lot of questions about what will happen next. While the consequences for driving under the influence can vary based on a number of factors (including the number of prior offenses), it’s important that you understand your legal rights and responsibilities so that you can make informed decisions about how to proceed with your case. DWI Defense Edina Minnesota
Minnesota’s DWI Laws DWI Defense Edina Minnesota
Minnesota’s DWI laws are strict and penalties are severe. If you’re facing a DWI charge in Minnesota, it’s crucial that you understand how the law applies to your case.
The first thing to know is that Minnesota’s DWI laws can be complex and confusing. They apply differently than they do in other states, so it pays to research them thoroughly before entering into any sort of plea agreement or accepting a plea offer from the prosecutor. This way, you’ll have an idea of what kind of sentence to expect if convicted of driving while intoxicated—and which options are available should you choose not to fight the charges against you but want something better than jail time or probation as punishment instead.
Minnesota’s Implied Consent Laws DWI Defense Edina Minnesota
Minnesota’s implied consent law is the same as other states’ implied consent laws. You can be charged with a DWI even if you were only stopped for a traffic violation, so long as there was probable cause to believe that you were driving while impaired. If you refuse to take the test, your license will be revoked for at least one year and you will have to pay a $1,000 fine. You cannot appeal this penalty in Minnesota; however, it can be reduced if:
- The police officer did not read or explain the statute properly before asking if you would submit to testing
- Your refusal was based upon an honest but reasonable belief that taking the breath test could result in death (i.e., if someone else told them not to)
Minnesota’s Repeat Offenders Law
The Minnesota Department of Public Safety defines a repeat DWI offender as someone who has had three or more alcohol related offenses within ten years. If this is your second violation in seven years, you may be charged with felony drunk driving, which comes with stricter penalties than misdemeanor drunk driving. If this is your third violation within seven years, you could be facing up to three years in prison and possibly additional fines depending on the circumstances of your offense.
Minors Charged with DWI in Minnesota DWI Defense Edina Minnesota
Minors are not allowed to drive with any detectable amount of alcohol in their system.
Minors are not allowed to drive with any detectable amount of THC in their system.
Minors are not allowed to drive with any detectable amount of any other controlled substance in their system.
Drivers License Revocation On First Offense For DWI in Minnesota
If you have been arrested for DWI in Minnesota, it is important to understand the consequences of your first offense.
A first-offense DWI conviction is a misdemeanor and carries the following penalties:
- Up to 90 days in jail
- A fine of up to $1,000
- A driver’s license revocation for one year (the length of time depends on whether you’ve had any prior convictions or citations) If you are convicted of a second DWI within seven years of your first conviction, it will be considered a felony offense with a maximum penalty of 90 days in jail and/or $3,000 in fines. The license revocation period increases from two years for this offense. If convicted again after five years from your previous DWI arrest or later than that but within ten years from an earlier date, then this becomes another felony charge punishable by up to five years imprisonment and/or $10,000 in fines as well as having your license revoked for ten years instead of seven or eight depending on whether there were any prior offenses. In addition:
- There may be additional consequences including mandatory alcohol education classes; ignition interlock device installation requirements; community service hours; loss of work privileges; probationary periods; ignition interlock device installation requirements
Contact Lauren Campoli, the top criminal trial lawyer in Edina MN, now to learn more about our legal defense services, or if you’ve been charged with a crime.